Rim for tire retreading apparatus



June 22, 1943. L.. T. sEPlN 2,322,545

RIM FOR TIRE RETREADING APPARATUS Filed Aug.l 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 1N VENTOR. ff 7" Sf//v JMW.

June 22, 1943. L. T. sEPlN RIM FOR TIRE RETREADING'APPARATUS ,Filed Aug. 19, 1940l 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,322,546 RIM FOR TIRE RETREADING APPARATUS Lee T. SepinyLos Angeles, Calif. Application August 19, 1940, Serial No. 353,223

(c1. iii- 128) 2 Claims.

My invention relates in general to tire retreading apparatus and in particular to a new and highly elicient type of collapsible and floating rim for retaining the conventional annular air bag in the desired position in a tire carcass or casing during the retreading thereof in a full circle retreading mold.

A purpose of my invention is to provide a collapsible rim of the character described wherein a plurality of arcuate sections and hinges are especially constructed and arranged so that the rim may be collapsed with the sections nesting in such small compass and so related as to make possible the ready extension of the sections into the carcass of the smaller sizes of tires now in popular use, to form therein a rigid annular support which will retain the air bag in position to insure a uniform and more nearly perfect vulcanizing and retreading operation.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide an air bag supporting rim wherein the sections are coupled by means of hinges of such construction and arrangement as will not only afford a ready collapsing of the rim into small compass, and facilitate the extension of the rim into annular form lying interiorly of the carcass, but also serve to effectively brace the rim and prevent relative movement of the sections thereof when extended into annular form for retaining the lair bag in place.

Yet another important feature of my invention is the provision in a collapsible rim of the character described, of sections or segments of varying lengths and such relative arrangement as will make possible the folding or collapsing of the rim into Acomparatively small compass and also render easier the extension and collapsing thereof with respect to all sizes of tires but particularly in the smaller sizes now more generally in use. This is essential inasmuch as with the rings or rims heretofore available for supporting air bags, it has been difcult and in some instances impossible to properly position the rims and air bags in tires of say, from 2O to 1'7 inches in diameter.

I will describe only one form of tire retreading apparatus embodying my invention and will then peint out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a full circle tire retreading mold as equipped with an air bag supporting rim embodying my invention, parte of the mold and associated elements being broken away and other parts shown in section,-

for clarity.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the rim as when collapsed, the dashed line indicating the inner perimeter of a tire carcass to illustrate how the rim may be extended into circular form or collapsed, when surrounded by or disposed within the carcass.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the rim particularly showing the hinge, as when the rim is in position of use.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 6 showing details of the hinge.

Fig. 6 is a, fragmentary top plan View of a joint of the rim, showing the hinge construction.

Fig. '7 is a schematic view of the rim showing it in collapsed and extended positions in dashed and full lines respectively.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown an annular and collapsible rim R embodying my invention and as when employed for holding an annular air bag B within a tire carcass T so that the latter will be forced against the steam chambered mold M of a conventional full circle retreading apparatus whereby to insure the desired vulcanizing and retreading operation.

As here provided, the rim R. is made up of a plurality of, preferably live, arcuate sections or segments of varying lengths and each curved in cross section to conform to the air bag and con# fine the contact of the latter to the tread portion only of the carcass. These segments are coupled end to end by means of hinges 8 and 9 of identical construction except that hinge 9 hasa removable hinge pin 9 whereby the rim may be collapsibly secured in annular form. f

In the present form of rim, the separable sec` tions or segments which are joined by the hinge 9 and removable hinge pin Y 9 constitute the shortest segment designated I 0 and one o f the longest segments, designated II, respectively.l From the shortest segment I0, the other segments I2, I3 and I4 respectively, are successively longer than one another, it being noted that the segment I4 is substantially the same length as segment II. As an example', segment I0 may have an arc of 53 degrees; section I2, 66 degrees; section I3, 73 degrees; and sections II and I4 each 84 degrees. For smaller size tires I nd it desirable to vary these dimensions and the sections in the order above named may have arcs of 50, 60, 71, 87 and 87 degrees respectively. However, it is understood that I do not wish to be limited to the lengths and degrees of arc above noted and these dimensions may be varied inasmuch as the main purpose is to .provide varying lengths of segments which will closely nest in smaller cornpass than has heretofore been the practice in the art, and aiford an easier extension and collapsing of the rim regardless of the size of the tire.

When the rim is collapsed as shown in Fig. 3, the segment Ill is innermost and disposed between segments I2 and I3 in nesting relation to segment |3-; whereas the segments I I and I4 are outermost and-segment I3 nests with segment I I, while segment l2 nests with segment I4. It is now seen that the varying lengths of the segments make possible this nesting and compac-t folding of the rim so that in folded form it may be positioned within a tire carcass having the air bag therein. The lengths of the segments are such that those which nest, particularly segments IIJ, |2 and I3 contact their companion segments between the hinges. In other words, the varying lengths prevent the hinges from interfering with a compact folding and nesting of the sections.

The inner periphery of the carcass is indicated by the circle in Fig. 3 and it is seen that with the rim rcollapsed and positioned as there shown, the

segments may be readily unfolded and extended in the order II, I4, I3, I2 and I0, or otherwise, whereby to provide an annular rim lying within the carcass as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In applying segment I4 to the air bag the valve stem I6 is extended through Aan opening II in said segment, in fact, this may be the rst step in the extension of the segments to annular form, and thereafter the other segments are unfolded and may be extended in the order above named.

After the extension of the segments, a suitable expansion tool is applied to lugs I8 and I9 on the end segments Ill and II, as shown in Fig. 1., and manipulated to aline the segments and bring them to a true annular form, following which the hinge pin 9' is inserted in hinge 9 and the segments are locked together by the intertting of the hinges as Will be hereinafter described. Obviously, to remove the rim from the carcass, the hinge pin 9' is removed and the segments are collapsed as shown in Fig. 3, the use of a tool being sometimes necessary to start the collapsing or folding of the segments.

In folding or collapsing the segments, segment I0 is folded back upon section I2, then segments I2 and I0 are swung bodily so that section `Ill pari tially nests with section I3; next the sections I3, I2 and Il) are swung so that section I2 nests fully with section I4, and finally section I I is swung to partially nest with section I3. The nesting of sections IU and II with the section I3 is but partial due to the presence of the lugs I9 on the section I'I, and a loop or eye 2|! on the section I3. This loop or eye is employed to conveniently hang up the rim when opening the mold.

The hinges 8 and 9 are identical, and each, as seen Figs. 4, 5 and 6, comprises a pair of butt plates 2| and 2.2 which are arcuate longitudinally as well as transversely to conform to the curvatures of the rim segments. These butt plates are welded about their margins to the segments and may also be spot Welded thereto so that they will be firmly secured in place. The -butt plate 2| is provided-.at its outer transverse yedge with a recess 23 formed by striking outwardly the `spaced ears 24. tongue 25 which extends beyond the adjacent edge of the segment to which plate 22 is welded, whereby it is adapted to extend into the recess 23 and overlap and `closely engage the segment to which the plate 2| is welded, as shown in Fig. 6

The plate 22 is formed with a central and Fig. 5. This tongue is formed by striking outwardly from the plate 22 the opposed ears 26 which are adapted to lie between and contact ears 24. The ears 26 are cut out so as to form notches or recesses 21 on opposite sides of the tongue 25 as shown in Fig. 6, for reception of projecting portions 28 of the plate 2|. The projecting portions overlap and engage the segment to which plate 22 is welded. As a further means for interlocking the butt plates and locking the segments against relative movement radially, laterally or otherwise, the front edge of butt plate 2i is recessed at its corners as at 29 for reception of projecting portions 30 at corresponding corners of the butt plate 22. The portions 30 overlap and contact the segment on which plate 2| is welded and are turned outwardly at their free ends to permit of free hinge action of the plates and segments.

rIhe ears 24 and 26 of the plates 2| and 22 of the hinges 8 and 9 are apertured for reception of the hinge pins 8 and 9', the latter of which are removable and insertable at will. These pins may be in i'orm of cotter pins as here shown or in any suitable form, and while only one need be removable, a plurality of removable pins could be used if desired.

It is now seen that `each hinge plate 2| has the projecting portions 28 on opposite sides of the recess 23 therein, foi` overlapping and contacting the next adjacent segment of the rim, whereas each plate 22 has the tongue 25 and projecting portions 30 on opposite sides o-f the tongue for overlying the segment to which plate 2| is secured. These overlapping portions insure the maintenance of a true annular and rigid oating rim for supporting the air bag, in that the segments of the rim are thereby held against unintentional relative movement and the rim is effectively braced at its joints.

It should be noted that by reason of the particular relative arrangement of the segments and the varying lengths thereof also the construction and arrangement of the hinges, the rim may be readily collapsed with the segments lying in opposed groups and in nested and outwardly bowed relation in each group. When thus collapsed the rim may be placed so that it will be surrounded by the carcass and from such position the segments may be successively or lotherwise extended into the annular body of the carcass to form a rigid annular air bag supporting rim therein in a much more expeditious and reliable manner than heretofore 'possible with air bag rims. The advantages of the rim of my invention and its efficient use in retreading the smaller tires now in general use, are enhanced by the use of at least five segments yof which the majority are of varying lengths, inasmuch as a ve segment rim will permit of a collapsing of the ring into smaller compass than a rim of less than ve segments.

I claim:

l. A hinge for connecting adjacent segments of an air bag supporting rim used in tire retreading apparatus, comprising a pair of plates adapted to be xed to opposed ends of adjacent segments, one of said plates having a recess in its outer end and provided with projections on opposite sides of the recess for overlapping the adjacent segment, apertured ears on said projections, the other plate having a tongue adapted to extend into the recess of the first named plate and overlie the segment to which the rst named plate is secured, apertured ears on said tongue, a hinge pin extending through the apertures in the ears of both plates, said first named plate having recesses in outer corners thereof; and corner projeetions on the second named plate being extensible into said recesses and engageable with the segment on which the rst named plate is secured.

2. A hinge for connecting adjacent segments of an air bag supporting rim used in tire retreading apparatus, comprising a pair of plates adapted to be fixed to opposed ends of adjacent segments, one oi said plates having a recess in its outer end and provided with projections on opposite sides of the recess for overlapping the adjacent segment, apertured ears on said projections, the otherplate having a tongue adapted to extend into the recess of the first named plate and overlie the segment to which the first named plate is secured, apertured ears on said tongue, a hinge pin extending through the ears of both plates, said rst named plate having recesses in outer corners thereof; and corner projections o-n the second named plate being extensible into said recesses and engageahle with thesegment on which the rst named plate is secured, said corner projections having outwardly turned free ends.

LEE T. SEPIN. 

